Table 5: Solar Power
Directions
The twenty example texts have been sub-divided thematically into five sections for more focused review. Your group is looking at materials which would focus on solar power.
This text set is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standard 4-ESS3-1: Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment. [Clarification Statement: Examples of renewable energy resources could include wind energy, water behind dams, and sunlight; non-renewable energy resources are fossil fuels and fissile materials. Examples of environmental effects could include loss of habitat due to dams, loss of habitat due to surface mining, and air pollution from burning of fossil fuels.]
Within your group, decide who examines which of the four texts. (Note: If you have more than four group members, put multiple people on whichever text(s) seems the most complicated. If you have fewer than four group members, choose which text(s) not to review).
After reviewing your text(s) reflect on the following questions and take notes on your thoughts:
- Describe how your text is related to renewable energy and what specific concepts, ideas, or skills it addresses.
- How is or could the text be connected to investigating a social issue, social change, and advocacy?
- What would students already have to know or understand to engage with your text? What would students be able to learn from your text?
- Would you recommend including this text in a text set for 4th graders on renewable energy, why or why not?
- How do you imagine using such a text instructionally when designing a unit on renewable energy sources for 4th graders?
Reconvene with your group members and report back on your text, sharing answers to the above questions. This verbally models the annotations you will do when constructing your own text set when completing the Integrated Multicultural Unit Reflection assignment.
- How could your texts work together or complement each other instructionally?
Be prepared to share out your group's thoughts with the larger class after reviewing this section of the larger example text set.
Text 17 - Picture Book
Solar Story
In his signature style, Allan Drummond tells the story of the largest solar plant in the world, the Noor Solar Power Plant in Morocco's Sahara Desert, in Solar Story--by relating it to the everyday life of a schoolgirl in a small village next to the plant. As we see on a class field trip, the plant is not only bringing reliable power to the village and far beyond, but is providing jobs, changing lives, and upending the old ways of doing things--starting within the girl's own family. Blending detail-filled watercolors, engaging cartoon-style narration, in-depth sidebars, and an afterword, the author showcases another real-world community going green in amazing ways. A "powerful" addition to the author's acclaimed series about conservation and renewable energy innovations in everyday life.
Drummond, A. (2020). Solar story : how one community lives alongside the world’s biggest solar plant (First edition.). Farrar Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers.
Text 18 - Video
Description: Solar cars use energy from the sun and photovoltaic cells to transport humans. Large solar cars are generally built by universities to compete in solar car races but mini-solar cars can be built in any science classroom. The photovoltaic cells convert solar energy into electricity which runs an electric motor. Energy conversion can be studies within the unit and a solar car design challenge can be used as a culminating design challenge. The criteria and constraints can be modified to the age of the students in the class.
Andersen, P. (2024, May 13). Solar cars. The Wonder of Science. https://thewonderofscience.com/phenomenon/2018/7/8/solar-cars
Text 19 - Activity
- Solar Scavenger Hunt ActivityStudents will learn about some of the main variables that determine what can be powered by a solar panel. Solar panels can be hard to understand, as they appear to be powering things but it's not clear how and why they work. By gathering both quantitative and qualitative information, students will get a better idea of how solar panels work, where they work best, and what variables affect their productivity. Students will use a tool called a multimeter to read the exact voltage and amperage of a solar panel, which will help them measure, understand, and compare the information they gather during the hunt.
Solar Scavenger. KidWind. (n.d.). https://www.kidwind.org/activities/recCBVUAdrlWOAPTa
Text 20 - Dataset
- Project SunroofLook up addresses to see the viability of solar to power that location and the possible cost savings for energy.
Elkin, C. (2015). Project Sunroof. Google. https://sunroof.withgoogle.com/